This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of Dec. 15, 2024! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., is preparing to lead an important House of Representatives committee.

The House Republican Steering Committee has recommended Hill, of Little Rock, as the next chair of the House Financial Resources Committee. A former banker, Hill has served as the committee's vice chair in the current Congress.

STORY: Hill getting ready to wield gavel for House Financial Services Committee

Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., ended his bid to lead the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Crawford, of Jonesboro, launched his run for the seat in March as the committee's current chair, Missouri Republican Sam Graves, sought a waiver to bypass a House GOP rule limiting time as a committee's top Republican member.

The steering panel granted such a waiver to Graves, allowing him to pursue another two-year term holding the gavel.

STORY: Crawford bows out of House committee chair race

Arkansans are among those monitoring Syria following the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime.

The Syrian Emergency Task Force — which has an office in Little Rock — is a nonprofit organization vocal about ending the civil war and assisting Syrians impacted by the conflict.

STORY: Arkansans eager over Syria’s future following Assad’s fall

Thank you for checking out "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all news involving Arkansas at arkansasonline.com. You can get in touch with me on social media; I'm now posting on Bluesky.